Bittersweet news for Alan Judge but how did we miss that?

How quickly have Brentford become accustomed to Championship life that a week without a Tuesday night fixture seems like a long one? Bristol City can’t visit soon enough as we’ll have had a whole 7(seven) days since that win at Ipswich Town.

It has been a week which has seen us with an awful lot to dwell on and no real news of any substance. Alan Judge is, of course, now out of hospital following surgery on the horrific injury he suffered at Portman Road – from where there has been pretty much radio silence despite the somewhat ‘controversial’ (that’s me being polite) comments made by Mick McCarthy after the game.

Maybe something has happened behind the scenes. Let’s hope so. The Judge himself has been putting a brave face on things in public, sharing that emotional message and then a follow up photograph when he left the hospital to return home.

Alan shared this picture as he left hospital

Here’s hoping Alan has a quick recovery. Good wishes have been pouring in from supporters all week whilst it sounds as though he’s had a steady stream of visitors since the weekend. Amongst them, Dean Smith and many of the players.

Sam Saunders revealed on Twitter that he and Harlee Dean had been to check up on their team mate. Was there genuine regret at the fact that they’d “offered to bed wash him can’t believe he turned it down!“?  Dean, meanwhile, used his press conference yesterday to confirm he’d been to see the player at the weekend who was “obviously a bit down”.

An immediate reaction of the one described by Dean is only to be expected. It would be a sickening blow for anybody, let alone a player on such form and with the Euro’s beckoning.

Thinking about it though, the reaction to Sam’s suggestion is also to be expected. Certainly, if his bed wash technique is similar to his car wash technique…

Would you take a bed wash from this man?

On the plus side, if one can be taken from such a situation, there was positive news for Alan when his nomination for the Football League’s Championship player of the year award was announced yesterday. In a final 3 that also includes Fulham’s Ross McCormack and Andre Gray it is due reward for Alan’s wonderful season.

He’s the leading goal scorer for the Bees and has provided the  highest number of assists for any Championship club with  11.  Indeed, checking the stats yesterday he’s currently joint 7th overall goal scorer in the league with 14. Whilst one would expect him to slip down the ranks over the remaining weeks of a season that been brought to a premature end, it’s well worth marking that figure at this point to show just what a pivotal figure he has been for Brentford

Interestingly, Lasse Vibe’s recent hot streak has seen him storming up the blindside and he’s now only two behind the Judge in joint 12th place for the Championship’s overall top scorer. That puts him level with Jordan Rhodes at a fraction of the price. Let’s hope he can move clear against Bristol City on Saturday.

Prior to that game, don’t forget that Waterman’s Park hosts the Bees Fan Zone from midday. Featuring a whole host of free activities such as Urban Cage Soccer, Obstacle Challenge and FA Skills sessions (amongst others) there will also be visits from Buzz,Buzzette and some of the First Team Players.

This was a cracking event when it took place last season and sounds as though it will be similar this time around. Yet again, it showcases Brentford as a wonderful community club with a whole host of activities laid on for our younger fans. As ever, you can read more about the event on the club site.

And finally, issue 3 of Season Ticket holder news letter ‘The Buzz’ hit my email box yesterday. Containing the usual mix of recipes , interviews (Sergi Canos) and Dream XI (Lasse Vibe) it also has ‘Social Club’ – those social media highlights we may have missed.

Well, fair play to the club because I’d certainly missed this one. I’ve heard of ‘footballing royalty’ but this takes things to another next level…

If ever the club were looking for a caption competition….

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Great shirt but no strip tease (and the top five away kits)

Finally – the wait is over. Brentford have unveiled the ‘away’ kit to be worn in our first season back in the Championship. And, in my humble opinion, it’s a classic.

As seen on the official club website

Gone is the boring ‘all black’ of seasons gone by and, instead, we have been offered what seems to be a cross between Borussia Dortmund, Colombia and Aston Villa (a) 1985-87. I know a shirt has hit the right spot when Mrs. Bruzon’s initial comment on seeing it, was: “That’s really good; I think I’ll get one of those instead of the home kit”.

Even the sponsor doesn’t seem too obtrusive whilst Sam Saunders is sure to be pleased that the yellow colour will match his marigolds.

The only real disappointment (and I use the word very loosely) was the lack of a teaser campaign / any build up to the big announcement. Coming from a self-confessed kit nerd, who was desperate to see this, that may sound somewhat hypocritical. However, I’ll also admit I quite enjoyed Mark Devlin’s strip, tease (and that’s not a phrase I ever thought I’d hear myself say) for the home kit.

Had it always been the plan to reveal this to the world on Tuesday , given the official launch date is July 27^th, or was it the result of leaked images appearing on the GPG? Well, if the latter then it’s a real shame and moreso, because it revealed that Griffin Park’s version of Julian Assange has a terrible taste in carpets.

You can see the official photos and story on the club website, here. And for those of you who hadn’t seen the ‘tip off’, this is the picture that ruined it all for those that were enjoying the mystery.

Thanks for ruining the surprise

And on the subject of away kits, what better time than for a top 5? So here are my favourite 5 Brentford away kits.

5: 2011/12 Unveiled in the window of a bathroom showroom and a universally popular effort. Mainly, because the Bees were actually playing in the yellow and black of stripes of, erm, a Bee. Bonus points for being that rare example of a good Puma kit.

 

4: 1987/88 For me, ‘traditional’ Brentford away colours are blue and blue. This Spall kit had it all – two tone stripes with matching collar and cuffs (stop sniggering).

 

3: 1992-94 As worn in our previous ‘Championship’ campaign and, finally, a recognised name in Hummel after the previous deals with technical sponsors Osca, Hobot and Chad. Migraine inducing design; nostalgia inducing memories.

 

2: 1983 I don’t even recall ever seeing this in action (live) but this number from Osca is so simple it’s genius. Cracking red sponsor and badge, too.

 

1: 1991-92 As worn in the season that saw promotion to the Championship. And on the personal side, the first time I wore this replica saw a 1-0 win against Fulham at Craven Cottage. What better omen could you ask for?

‘Celebrating like they’d won the FA Cup…..’ (The story of Brentford’s season 2013/14) – amongst other things – is now available as a digital book. Featuring the best of the not so bad columns from the last ten months, and some new content, you can download it here for your kindle / digital device.

Spoiler alert: Brentford gear up for the Championship with new look

For those who still have the image of Sam Saunders wearing not much more than three marigolds seared onto their retinas, here’s a diversion. (Assuming they want a diversion). Teams visiting Brentford in the Championship next season will see something different.

Finally, after years of squatting rent free on the New Road roof, the Qatar Airways advert has been painted over. I’ve long advocated that, if they weren’t prepared to stump up the cash / cover this themselves, the word “Don’t” (or worse) should have been added to the front of this – at a jaunty angle.

Before: View from the terrace. Squatter about to be evicted

 

Thankfully, now, there is no need. Chief Executive Mark Devlin released the following picture yesterday afternoon to show the much-maligned advert had been painted over. Even better news, though, was his subsequent confirmation that this was because of a new sponsor – to be announced once timings have been agreed.

After: Who is the mystery new sponsor?

Could this be a nostalgic return for KLM? Perhaps another airline? Given the club’s proximity to the Heathrow airport flight path that would make perfect sense. Or have the club joined forces with Skyex for a giant shirt transfer to be stuck over the roof?

Either way, given the stadium’s visibility from the air I’d suggest that this announcement needs to be exquisitely timed.

Now, if he could just release a picture of the away kit, that would really crank up the excitement levels a notch.

‘Celebrating like they’d won the FA Cup…..’ (The story of Brentford’s season 2013/14) – amongst other things – is now available as a digital book. Featuring the best of the not so bad columns from the last ten months, and some new content, you can download it here for your kindle / digital device.

Is this how they wash cars in the Championship ?

Q: What has three marigolds, two flip flops, a lot of tattoos and a squeegee?

A: Sam Saunders

A cold day at the car park?

Team spirit is clearly alive and well at Griffin Park, judging by the video Sam and Harlee Dean shared of the wing wizard’s unusual car washing technique.

This isn’t the first time such clips have reached a wider audience. Harlee had previously made a very cheeky appearance in one of Kev’s Beesplayer interviews. Sam had, of course, released a video of Harlee’s romantic padlock to the good people at Soccer AM.

However this takes things to the next level and you can see the full video here. I just hope they aren’t David Button’s gloves.

Look out Florida – they’re coming your way.

‘Celebrating like they’d won the FA Cup…..’  (The story of Brentford’s season 2013/14) – amongst other things – is now available as a digital book. Featuring the best of the not so bad columns from the last ten months, and some new content, you can download it here for your kindle  / digital device.

Harlee has form at this sort of thing